Advice Needed - Quick Side Trip to Disney during December

[kizmet311]

We have only been to Disney World once - the first week of October 2017 where we had 5 park days and did the Halloween party. I know so much has changed since then, but I pretty much planned that trip completely on my own and had every thing planned to the minute using this website, Touring Plans, and Kenny the Pirate and we had a wonderful trip doing everything we wanted and more. I have been reading some blogs and websites with crowd calendars and I am wondering if I am completely crazy for wanting to go between December 15-20 of this year. We are doing last minute planning and I hope to convince my husband to book something this week. Below are some details of what we want to do and I'm hoping you all can tell me if I'm crazy for going those dates! These dates work for DD's school schedule, will be cooler than any other time of year that we can go based on school schedules, and of course, Christmas!

Basically, this is a trip to Harry Potter World for my daughter with a quick side trip to Disney. I have two goals for Disney - attend a Very Merry Christmas party and visit HS since we've never seen Galaxy's Edge or Toy Story Land. If it's not impossible, I would consider a park hopper ticket for one day to begin at HS and head over to Epcot when we finish. Here is what we would hope to accomplish at each park. I am not opposed to paying for LL if needed for a specific attraction and I think Genie+ is an absolute must whether we do a one park or park hopper ticket.

1. Very Merry Christmas Party - I know absolutely nothing about this party and will have to research what party activities we want to do, but the rides we would want to try to fit in would be Mine Train and Tron for certain, Big Thunder and/or Space Mountain, and anything else would be a bonus I think.

2. Hollywood Studios - The biggies would probably be Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog, and the Mickey/Minnie Runaway Railway since they are all new since we last attended. Rockin' Rollercoaster will be important for DH and SD, but DD doesn't like to go upside down so not sure on that one for her. Also, Toy Story Mania was her favorite ride our last trip so I would like for her to do that again. For me as a non-rider - I really want DD to be able to build a BB-8 robot or light saber (she will probably want a light saber and I'm going to want a robot, so is it possible to do both?). Is there anything else I'm missing that is a must do at HS?

3. Epcot - We will not be able to go to Epcot unless we do a park hopper and go to HS first and Epcot second. This is mainly due to not wanting to buy a second day of park tickets and spending more time at Harry Potter. Is this even possible with December crowd levels and park hours? Priorities for Epcot would be Guardians and Ratatouille since they are new. I would like to walk through Moana's Journey of Water if it's open. DD would now be old enough for Test Track and Soarin, but those would be bonus rides. So, it would really be a quick trip to Epcot to ride a couple rides at the end of the day.

 

[g-dad66]

On your HS day, if you decide to hop to Epcot, you will definitely want Slinky as your first LL so that you can get a return time that is not in the late late afternoon or evening.

If you have early entry, I would recommend doing Railway or Toy Story Mania at rope drop. You might be able to do both of them without terrible wait times. By 11:00 you will be eligible for your second LL, and you should be able to get Rock n Roller Coaster for a mid-afternoon return time.

I recommend purchasing ILL for Rise, and a late morning time would be a good choice, because wait times for most of the attractions will be pretty bad by that time.

If you don't hop to Epcot, you should be able to book a third LL at 1:00 (maybe Millenium Falcon? or even Railway or Toy Story if you want to do one of them a second time), and you can probably book a 4th LL at 3:00.

If you do hop to Epcot, the LLs for Remy, Test Track, and Frozen will be long gone, so your best bet for shortest wait for Remy would be to do it just before the park closes. I recommend purchase ILL for Guardians. You might decide to make your 4th LL for Soarin rather than one of the HS rides.

Can't speak to the Christmas party. Have never done it.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a little confused as to how many days you will have at Disney. You mention going to the Xmas party at MK and going to HS/Epcot. Does that mean one day to do HS/Epcot and the party all in that day or two days to do the party one day and HS/Epcot another day.

If it's one day, you are most likely not getting to Epcot if you want to do all that in HS and attend the party and get the most out of your money for that. (I've never done the party since I always have hoppers or an AP for my entire trip and it's not worth the extra money for me). Building the robot or light saber is most likely going to carve out at least a hour if not two of your HS day. If you buy Genie+ and ILL you will most likely be able to get all done you want to if you book your LLs early. I think you can get into the part at 4:30 so you would have a good amount of time to get MK done.

If two days then I'd do park hoppers. Epcot/party one day, HS and then back to either Epcot or MK to get what you missed or even HS/AK on that second day.

 

[CynBeth]

Epcot around the holidays is a park you want a full day for they have the storytellers in different countries and Candlelight Processional at night.